Most Interesting Hockey Sticks You’ll Ever See

Most Interesting Hockey Sticks You’ll Ever See

June 2, 2016|

While there is much dispute about where and when the first hockey game was played, there is very little dispute about the first every hockey stick, created by William Moffat in the mid-1800s, which recently sold at an auction for $300,000. Whether you’re playing with a puck or ball, on the ice or in the streets, there is only one thing that is consistent with the game of hockey – the stick.

As the years have rolled on, the game of hockey has evolved, much like the sticks used by the players. Some players have evolved their sticks in directions never seen before. Today we feature some of the most interesting hockey sticks you’ll ever see.

Zdeno Chara
Standing at 6’9” (7’7” if you include the bunny ears), Zdeno Chara is the tallest NHL player of all time, and thus has to use a stick that coincides with his height. Chara welds a custom made 65” stick, from toe to heal. Below is a picture of a normal sized human being next to a Chara stick.

UB Hespler off-set blade
Remember this one? Be thankful if you don’t. The innovation that was supposed to be “the hockey stick of the future” turned out to be a massive failure. The idea was that players would have their hands ahead of the puck resulting in greater shot velocity and ease of handing passes. Rather, players reported poor handling, loss of accuracy, and missed passes (duh!).

Ryan O’Reilly
There aren’t many more bizarre sticks out there than that of Ryan O’Reilly. O’Reilly sports a Warrior Covert QR1 with an unusual 45-degree hook at the tip of the blade. He says this prevents the puck from rolling off his stick in spin-o-rama like situations. Weird, right?

Aluminum
Strange? At the time, not really, but definitely in hindsight. Aluminum sticks were extremely stiff and therefore dangerous, but were revolutionary to the hockey stick world. They were virtually weightless, when compared its wooden predecessor. Wayne Gretzky endorsed his Easton HPX 5100 by saying, “After using it, I’m convinced that it’s the best stick made… It is absolutely perfect for my needs — stiff shaft and yet extremely light”.

Looking back, aluminum sticks weren’t the right direction for hockey sticks, but they provided an eye opener for things to change. Not long after, the Easton Synergy was born.

Did we miss any? Write in the comments section below some of the most interesting hockey sticks that you’ve came across.

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